BBC MEN RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Sieve the flour, salt, bicarb, ginger and cinnamon into a large bowl. Heat the butter, sugar and syrup until dissolved. Leave the sugar mixture to cool slightly, then mix into the dry ingredients to form a dough. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 mins.
• On a surface lightly dusted with flour, roll out the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Stamp out the gingerbread men shapes with a cutter, then re-roll any off-cuts and repeat. Place your gingerbread shapes on the lined trays, allowing space for them to spread. Cook for 10-15 mins, then remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Steps:

• Put the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt, sugar and yeast. Pour in 250ml water and the oil and mix to a soft dough. Add a little extra water if necessary.
• Knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth and then put into a bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Turn the dough out onto a board, knead briefly and then cut into four. Take one piece and cut off a quarter and shape into a ball for the head. Shape the other piece into a sausage. Attach the head to the body using a little cold water.
• Place the dough onto a non-stick baking sheet. Using a sharp knife cut the bottom half of the sausage to make two legs, then cut into the sides up to the shoulders to make two arms. Using scissors, snip at intervals around the top of the head to make hair and make one snip for the mouth. Use a wooden skewer to make two eyes.
• Take one egg and place on the dough man’s tummy. Fold the arms over the egg and secure with a little cold water. Make three more egg men with the remaining dough. Leave to prove for about 10 mins.
• Bake in the oven for 20 mins until well risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack for a few mins before peeling the egg and eating with the warm bread.